Australian Tennis Star Thanasi Kokkinakis Upsets Kyrgios with Impressive Win at French Open
Overview of the Match
Australian tennis player Thanasi Kokkinakis caused a major upset at the 2021 French Open when he beat compatriot Nick Kyrgios in a thrilling 5-set match. Kokkinakis, who is ranked 267th in the world and barely made it into the tournament as a wildcard, showed remarkable resilience and skill on the clay court to defeat Kyrgios, who is ranked 56th.
The Build-Up to the Match
The match between Kokkinakis and Kyrgios attracted a lot of attention from fans and pundits alike. Both players are known for their big serves and aggressive styles of play, making it difficult to predict the outcome of the match. Kokkinakis, who has struggled with injury throughout his career, was determined to prove that he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
The Match Itself
The match got off to a tense start, with both players holding serve in the first few games. Kyrgios, who is known for his flashy shot-making and on-court antics, tried to unsettle Kokkinakis by playing drop shots and hitting tweeners. However, Kokkinakis remained steady and focused, and managed to break Kyrgios’ serve early in the first set. He went on to win the set 6-4.
Kyrgios fought back in the second set, hitting some spectacular winners and breaking Kokkinakis’ serve twice. The set went to a tiebreak, which Kyrgios won 7-5. The third set was also tight, with neither player able to break serve. It went to another tiebreak, which Kokkinakis won convincingly 7-2.
Kokkinakis looked to be in control of the match when he broke Kyrgios’ serve early in the fourth set. However, Kyrgios refused to give up, and managed to break back to level the set at 3-3. The rest of the set went with serve, and it went to another tiebreak. This time, Kyrgios came out on top, winning 7-4.
The fifth and final set was a nerve-wracking affair, with both players fighting for every point. Kyrgios had a chance to break Kokkinakis’ serve early on, but the younger player dug deep and held on. The set went to a tiebreak, which Kokkinakis won 7-4.
Reaction to the Result
Kokkinakis’ win over Kyrgios was met with jubilation from Australian tennis fans, who had been waiting for a new star to emerge from the country. Kokkinakis himself was delighted with the result, and praised Kyrgios for his fighting spirit.
“It was an amazing match, and Nick played some incredible tennis,” Kokkinakis said. “I knew I had to stay focused and just keep grinding, and luckily it paid off in the end.”
Kyrgios was gracious in defeat, and paid tribute to Kokkinakis’ performance.
“Thanasi played really well today,” Kyrgios said. “He was consistent and didn’t give me any easy points. He deserved to win.”
Summary
Australian tennis player Thanasi Kokkinakis caused a major upset at the 2021 French Open when he beat compatriot Nick Kyrgios in a thrilling 5-set match. Kokkinakis, who is ranked 267th in the world and barely made it into the tournament as a wildcard, showed remarkable resilience and skill on the clay court to defeat Kyrgios, who is ranked 56th. The match attracted a lot of attention from fans and pundits alike, and Kokkinakis’ win was met with jubilation from Australian tennis fans. #SPORT